- Date
- April 1, 1994, 18:20 local (Apr 2, 1994, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- San Angelo, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3521KPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940401007459A
- Case key
- 19024
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The partial loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the initial climb the engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing in a field off the departure end of the runway. The aircraft struck a fence. An examination of the aircraft revealed that the muffler baffle had come loose.
Factual narrative
On April 1, 1994, at 1820 central standard time, a Piper PA-28- 140, N3521K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near San Angelo, Texas. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator report that after takeoff the aircraft would not develop sufficient power to maintain altitude. He further reported that he executed a forced landing in a field and that "on roll out, the wing tips struck a fence" west of the departure end of the runway.
An examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the operator revealed that the muffler baffle had come lose.
The aircraft was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3521K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2823604
- Airframe hours
- 2,993
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sims, Marcus L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 1993 · 42 hours before
- Destination
- OZA · Ozona, TX
- Airport
- SJT · Mathis Field, runway 18, 6,916 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 197 total · 121 in this make and model · 165 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.